Einstein’s 135 Birthday: Einstein and the Violin

In his travels, Einstein always took his violin, and was constantly eager for a chance to play. In the early 1920s he went to Prague for a lecture at the university. He liked the city where he had once been a young professor, honing his mathematics and playing chamber music until dawn. Furthermore, Prague had shown hospitality to Mozart, whose “Don Giovanni” premiered there October, 28, 1787. After his lecture, Einstein was expected to speak as guest of honor at a reception. “Instead of making a speech”, he announced, “I’m going to play my violin”, and he did. He performed Mozart and Bach and was enthusiastically applauded by an audience that was grateful perhaps not to have to cope with the relativity theory at a party. x